Sutliff Tobacco Company Match Victorian
(3.21)
A Sutliff match of the legendary Murray's (after it was branded for some time by Dunhill) now discontinued Elizabethan Mixture. It is a well combined blend of Virginias with perique.
Notes: This blend was made as a match for the Murray's production, and not the later Scandinavian Tobacco Group’s re-release of Dunhill Elizabethan Mixture.
This blend was formerly known as Match Dunhill Elizabethan Mixture.
Details
| Brand | Sutliff Tobacco Company |
| Blended By | Carl McCallister |
| Manufactured By | Sutliff Tobacco Company |
| Blend Type | Virginia/Perique |
| Contents | Perique, Virginia |
| Flavoring | |
| Cut | Ribbon |
| Packaging | Bulk |
| Country | United States |
| Production | Currently available |
Profile
Strength
Medium
Extremely Mild -> Overwhelming
Flavoring
None Detected
None Detected -> Extra Strong
Room Note
Tolerable
Unnoticeable -> Overwhelming
Taste
Medium
Extremely Mild (Flat) -> Overwhelming
Average Rating
|
3.21 / 4
|
Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 Reviews
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 08, 2022 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Medium | Tolerable |
A disappointing blend considering all the great reviews. Having never smoked the Murray’s version, I can’t make comparisons, but I can say that it is quite lackluster.
When I first received the blend, it had such a weird smell to it. I received 8oz in a bag from 4noggins. When I opened the box up, I smelled what seemed to be Autumn Evening, which was odd considering there wasn’t a single aromatic blend in my order. Upon opening the bag of this tobacco, there was a strong cavendish and maple aroma coming from it, along with some vinegar, grass, citrus, and perique in the background. This blend was clearly where that maple smell was coming from. This struck me as strange considering this is supposed to be a simple VA/Per. I smoked a bowl to make sure this was in fact what I ordered. What I got was a flavorless, harsh smoke. It was one of the few bowls of tobacco I’ve had that I actually consider “bad”. It would have been a one star on this site if I had reviewed it then. After dumping the bowl, I went inside and put the rest in a mason jar.
Flash forward 7 months to now. Opening the jar, I get a strong whiff of vinegar, some earthiness, citrus, spice, and, unfortunately, still some of that cavendish and maple smell, though reduced from when it was fresh. Normally, these smells (besides the maple cavendish) would indicate a good tasting VAPer, but that wasn’t really the case.
Upon lighting, the first few puffs are kinda harsh. Not as harsh as the fresh bowl I smoked, but definitely not smooth. Hot air, ash, and spice. Once it settles down, I start getting some (keyword here is SOME) flavor. Overall, the profile is tart, grassy, bittersweet, woodsy, with a slight spice, and yes, some of that weird maple cavendish flavor in the background still, especially on the retrohale. However, the overall flavor is extremely low. Those flavors I described are wisps, ghosts, specters. They don’t last but for a split second, and they’re very muted. While not “bad” like that fresh bowl I had, this isn’t exactly good either. The nicotine strength is pretty low from what I can tell. One positive I’ll say is that it packs well and stays lit.
I love the modern Elizabethan. It’s my favorite VA/Per, and the one I come back to time and time again no matter how many other VA/Pers I try. If this match is how the Murray’s version tasted (which I don’t think is the case if my suspicions are correct), I’m happy STG picked up the manufacturing. This doesn’t even taste like a VA/Per. So, I think I may purchase some more of this in the near future. I think I got a bad batch, or possibly a different blend. Could it be something with the way 4noggins had it stored? Could I have gotten some type of new recipe for this match? The more I smoke it and the more I read reviews, the more I think it’s possible that this isn’t the correct blend or a bad batch. Like I said, it’s not “bad”, which is what I’ll reserve 1-star ratings for. The 7 months in the jar did improve it some, though the flavor is minuscule, so maybe another 7 months will improve it further. I really do want to purchase 2oz of this again, maybe from a different site just to rule that out, and review it. I’m about 80% sure what I received isn’t representative of what it’s supposed to be. I’m giving it 2 stars.
UPDATE 12/23/22 Well, I ordered 2 more ounces of this blend. Very interesting. It’s like all the good qualities of the original batch I got minus the bad. It actually tastes like a VAPer! No more of that maple aroma. I’m guessing my original batch was accidentally mixed with some type of aromatic or possibly stored among aromatics which eventually tainted the flavor. Whatever the case, if this is a true representation of the Elizabethan Match, it is a solid VAPer. Still not as good as the modern Elizabethan which, in my opinion, is a bit more tart, bready, and spicy and a bit less sweet, and not as good as other favorite VAPers of mine, but it is solid. Considering the bulk price of the match, it would be worth if you smoke a lot of VAPers or if you want to cellar a few pounds of it. I’m upgrading it to 3 stars.
UPDATE 4/3/24 I’m not really enjoying this blend. It doesn’t necessarily have a bad flavor, but it lacks something. I thought aging it some would make it better, but it seems to have made it worse. There’s just not much flavor at all. It tastes like hot, grassy air most of the time. I do use it as a mixer occasionally, but I almost definitely won’t be buying this again. Two stars.
When I first received the blend, it had such a weird smell to it. I received 8oz in a bag from 4noggins. When I opened the box up, I smelled what seemed to be Autumn Evening, which was odd considering there wasn’t a single aromatic blend in my order. Upon opening the bag of this tobacco, there was a strong cavendish and maple aroma coming from it, along with some vinegar, grass, citrus, and perique in the background. This blend was clearly where that maple smell was coming from. This struck me as strange considering this is supposed to be a simple VA/Per. I smoked a bowl to make sure this was in fact what I ordered. What I got was a flavorless, harsh smoke. It was one of the few bowls of tobacco I’ve had that I actually consider “bad”. It would have been a one star on this site if I had reviewed it then. After dumping the bowl, I went inside and put the rest in a mason jar.
Flash forward 7 months to now. Opening the jar, I get a strong whiff of vinegar, some earthiness, citrus, spice, and, unfortunately, still some of that cavendish and maple smell, though reduced from when it was fresh. Normally, these smells (besides the maple cavendish) would indicate a good tasting VAPer, but that wasn’t really the case.
Upon lighting, the first few puffs are kinda harsh. Not as harsh as the fresh bowl I smoked, but definitely not smooth. Hot air, ash, and spice. Once it settles down, I start getting some (keyword here is SOME) flavor. Overall, the profile is tart, grassy, bittersweet, woodsy, with a slight spice, and yes, some of that weird maple cavendish flavor in the background still, especially on the retrohale. However, the overall flavor is extremely low. Those flavors I described are wisps, ghosts, specters. They don’t last but for a split second, and they’re very muted. While not “bad” like that fresh bowl I had, this isn’t exactly good either. The nicotine strength is pretty low from what I can tell. One positive I’ll say is that it packs well and stays lit.
I love the modern Elizabethan. It’s my favorite VA/Per, and the one I come back to time and time again no matter how many other VA/Pers I try. If this match is how the Murray’s version tasted (which I don’t think is the case if my suspicions are correct), I’m happy STG picked up the manufacturing. This doesn’t even taste like a VA/Per. So, I think I may purchase some more of this in the near future. I think I got a bad batch, or possibly a different blend. Could it be something with the way 4noggins had it stored? Could I have gotten some type of new recipe for this match? The more I smoke it and the more I read reviews, the more I think it’s possible that this isn’t the correct blend or a bad batch. Like I said, it’s not “bad”, which is what I’ll reserve 1-star ratings for. The 7 months in the jar did improve it some, though the flavor is minuscule, so maybe another 7 months will improve it further. I really do want to purchase 2oz of this again, maybe from a different site just to rule that out, and review it. I’m about 80% sure what I received isn’t representative of what it’s supposed to be. I’m giving it 2 stars.
UPDATE 12/23/22 Well, I ordered 2 more ounces of this blend. Very interesting. It’s like all the good qualities of the original batch I got minus the bad. It actually tastes like a VAPer! No more of that maple aroma. I’m guessing my original batch was accidentally mixed with some type of aromatic or possibly stored among aromatics which eventually tainted the flavor. Whatever the case, if this is a true representation of the Elizabethan Match, it is a solid VAPer. Still not as good as the modern Elizabethan which, in my opinion, is a bit more tart, bready, and spicy and a bit less sweet, and not as good as other favorite VAPers of mine, but it is solid. Considering the bulk price of the match, it would be worth if you smoke a lot of VAPers or if you want to cellar a few pounds of it. I’m upgrading it to 3 stars.
UPDATE 4/3/24 I’m not really enjoying this blend. It doesn’t necessarily have a bad flavor, but it lacks something. I thought aging it some would make it better, but it seems to have made it worse. There’s just not much flavor at all. It tastes like hot, grassy air most of the time. I do use it as a mixer occasionally, but I almost definitely won’t be buying this again. Two stars.
Pipe Used:
Savinelli 802
Age When Smoked:
7 months
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Sep 30, 2020 | Medium | Very Mild | Medium | Pleasant to Tolerable |
For starters, let me state that I have never had the pleasure of trying the original Dunhill iteration of Elizabethan Mixture, so this will not be a review of comparison between the original and the match. This review will be based solely on the qualities of the smoking experience.
I have had this one kicking around in a jar for a while. I never purchased this, it came as a free sample somewhere along the way.
The smell of the tobacco is what you would expect of a Vaper blend. Dark fruits, raisony, figgy, and a sharpness from the bright virginia. This is a traditionally cut tobacco, with a mixture of both darks and lights, but mostly a darker looking blend.
It packed well, but took me a fair try to get it lit, which was puzzling for me, as this tobacco was not wet at all, nor does it have a goopy casing to be evident.
Once lit, it performed as one would expect. The perique is very evident upon first light up. It is up front and tangy, good flavors on the palette and a strong tingle in the nose. This tingle would settle down as the bowl progressed. The second half of the bowl produced a lot more dark rounded flavors, as is often the case.
Overall, a decent blend, but nothing to right home about, or buy more of in my opinion. Nothing to complain about, but nothing to celebrate per se. Too many great Vapers out there for me to spend much time with this one.
I have had this one kicking around in a jar for a while. I never purchased this, it came as a free sample somewhere along the way.
The smell of the tobacco is what you would expect of a Vaper blend. Dark fruits, raisony, figgy, and a sharpness from the bright virginia. This is a traditionally cut tobacco, with a mixture of both darks and lights, but mostly a darker looking blend.
It packed well, but took me a fair try to get it lit, which was puzzling for me, as this tobacco was not wet at all, nor does it have a goopy casing to be evident.
Once lit, it performed as one would expect. The perique is very evident upon first light up. It is up front and tangy, good flavors on the palette and a strong tingle in the nose. This tingle would settle down as the bowl progressed. The second half of the bowl produced a lot more dark rounded flavors, as is often the case.
Overall, a decent blend, but nothing to right home about, or buy more of in my opinion. Nothing to complain about, but nothing to celebrate per se. Too many great Vapers out there for me to spend much time with this one.
Pipe Used:
butz Choquin Calabash 2000
Age When Smoked:
12 Years
| Reviewed By | Date | Rating | Strength | Flavoring | Taste | Room Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 18, 2017 | Mild to Medium | None Detected | Mild to Medium | Tolerable |
When I read the rating it tells me "somewhat" recommend, which sounds about right. It may only give it a couple stars though which I think its better than that, I just only "somewhat'" recommend the stuff.
I've only had the current Dunhill Elizabethan. It kind of resembles that blend at times. It's a fairly light VA/Per and resembles it to a degree, but its also different.
The Dunhill Elizabethan I enjoy is kind of citrusy/grassy in the Virginia realm of its flavor with a dousing of tasty perique. Compared to many of the VA/PER blends I've tried, not many have the high end where Elizabethan does.
This one doesn't quite get there at the high end. It's clearly different Virginia tobacco with some of its own nuances. It doesn't quite go into Red or dark flavored Virginia at all, so it keeps itself from being that type of VA/PER.
If there's a range of Virginia taste from high to low end, I'd put Elizabethan at the high end, and this one at mid-high, but never grassy citrusy high. Maybe only slightly grassy with some other mid type flavor not prominent in the current Elizabethan blend. This mid high flavor I taste quite prominent and if its in the current Elizabethan mixture by Dunhill, its a background player, not at the forefront like in this blend.
Like other Sutliff blends, it has a very slight, really slight, mustiness to it, maybe attributed to an older, or lower grade of tobacco than in most modern tinned blends.
It's basically an Elizabethan blend with lower grade of tobacco, maybe. Maybe not, and its just Sutliff's flavor, I can't quite say as I'm no tobacco expert.
It might be good enough to have on hand if you really just need a cheaper alternative to Elizabethan in bulk. It's not bad by any means and is quite smokeable, but calling it a complete match isn't accurate to this modern Dunhill rendition.
It may taste more like the Murray's version I've never tried. I bought 8 ounces of the stuff and was somewhat disappointed in the first bowl I smoked through a cobb. I've given it more of a chance in some of my favorite briar pipe's and have to say its growing a bit more on me the more I smoke it.
I do love the Elizabethan profile and this has it maybe more than other va/per's out there, so on that alone, its pretty good. If you love elizabethan just that much more than everything else and want a variation of it, this could be a top choice, but don't expect an identical copy to the current version.
I've only had the current Dunhill Elizabethan. It kind of resembles that blend at times. It's a fairly light VA/Per and resembles it to a degree, but its also different.
The Dunhill Elizabethan I enjoy is kind of citrusy/grassy in the Virginia realm of its flavor with a dousing of tasty perique. Compared to many of the VA/PER blends I've tried, not many have the high end where Elizabethan does.
This one doesn't quite get there at the high end. It's clearly different Virginia tobacco with some of its own nuances. It doesn't quite go into Red or dark flavored Virginia at all, so it keeps itself from being that type of VA/PER.
If there's a range of Virginia taste from high to low end, I'd put Elizabethan at the high end, and this one at mid-high, but never grassy citrusy high. Maybe only slightly grassy with some other mid type flavor not prominent in the current Elizabethan blend. This mid high flavor I taste quite prominent and if its in the current Elizabethan mixture by Dunhill, its a background player, not at the forefront like in this blend.
Like other Sutliff blends, it has a very slight, really slight, mustiness to it, maybe attributed to an older, or lower grade of tobacco than in most modern tinned blends.
It's basically an Elizabethan blend with lower grade of tobacco, maybe. Maybe not, and its just Sutliff's flavor, I can't quite say as I'm no tobacco expert.
It might be good enough to have on hand if you really just need a cheaper alternative to Elizabethan in bulk. It's not bad by any means and is quite smokeable, but calling it a complete match isn't accurate to this modern Dunhill rendition.
It may taste more like the Murray's version I've never tried. I bought 8 ounces of the stuff and was somewhat disappointed in the first bowl I smoked through a cobb. I've given it more of a chance in some of my favorite briar pipe's and have to say its growing a bit more on me the more I smoke it.
I do love the Elizabethan profile and this has it maybe more than other va/per's out there, so on that alone, its pretty good. If you love elizabethan just that much more than everything else and want a variation of it, this could be a top choice, but don't expect an identical copy to the current version.
Pipe Used:
Briar, Cobb
PurchasedFrom:
Pipes and Cigars
Age When Smoked:
New
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